Fayetteville, NC – The USA South Athletic Conference has released its 2014 All-Conference awards in volleyball with a pair of veteran Lady Lions making the prestigious list. Piedmont’s JENNIFER OPPER and KAITLIN NORMAN both earned spots on the listing released earlier today by the conference office in Fayetteville.
Norman’s All-Conference nod is the third straight for the Good Hope native and fourth Conference honor overall in her collegiate career as she was also named an All-Freshman honoree in Piedmont’s last year as a Great South Athletic Conference member in 2011. Having made 3rd team All-USA South in her sophomore year and taken 2nd team honors last season, Norman earned her way onto the 1st team All-Conference listing in this her senior season after another banner year in which she eclipsed the 1,000 kill mark in her collegiate career.
One of the most dominant hitters that Piedmont has ever seen, Norman was in the top ten amongst all USA South players in both total kills (238) and kills per set (2.43) and ranked 8th in the league in hitting percentage. Norman’s value to the Lady Lions can be pointed to directly as she ranked 11th in the league accounting for almost three points per set and close to 300 overall on the season, 13th best amongst the league.
As a former Great South Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year, JENNIFER OPPER’s All-Conference selection also comes in this her senior season along with teammate KAITLIN NORMAN as Opper hit just shy of .300 this season after having already crested that mark twice in her four year career. Leading her team in attack percentage and placing in the league’s top four in that category, Opper was an Honorable Mention on this year’s All-Conference listing after having been named to the list in 2013 as well marking her second straight All-USA South nod.
Opper led the team in hitting percentage this season and was also a feared force at the net defensively as well as one of the smartest blockers around the USA South. Her 63 total blocks placed her in the top 12 in the league in that category while her 51 block assists put her 11th among all volleyball players in the USA South, but it comes as no surprise as Opper has ranked in the top 15 in those categories in each of her three seasons that Piedmont has been a USA South member and led the conference in block assists last season.
Having earned the #3 seed out of the South Division by virtue of going 11-5 in league action, the Lady Lions posted a 10th straight season with 20 wins or more having taken victories in their final two regular season contests to do so in 2014. Earning a spot in the USA South Championship field, Piedmont will travel up to Martinsville to play the #2 seed out of the North Division in Averett University on Friday afternoon with first serve at 3:00 pm.
Should the Lady Lions win their quarterfinal contest with the Cougars, a date with preseason and now tournament favorite Maryville College will likely await in the semis should the Scots be able to win their opener vs. the final seed out of the North Division, Greensboro. Piedmont’s representative on the All-Sportsmanship Team was newcomer KATIE SPADAFORA.
The 2014 USA South Volleyball All-Conference Team:
First Team
Nicole Barringer, Averett
Kelsey Handel, Maryville
Karlie Long, Meredith
KAITLIN NORMAN, Piedmont
Hannah Shields, Averett
Chelsea VanDyk, Covenant
Liz Widenhouse, Greensboro Second Team
Mallory Bonee, Maryville
Cassidy Hayes, Methodist
Megan Mansfield, William Peace
Ginny Moore, Covenant
Schuyler Moore, Covenant
Elizabeth Pattison, Meredith
Mary Kate White, Maryville Honorable Mention
Hannah Blaylock, Meredith
Chloe Carlson, Covenant
Katie Chancellor, LaGrange
Morgan Hall, Maryville
Karly Klimas, Methodist
Rachel Kozemko, Maryville
JENNIFER OPPER, Piedmont
Sarah Smoot, Averett
Carson Williams, William Peace
All-Sportsmanship Team
Leslie Fulton, Averett
Laura Scott Tomlin, Covenant
Jessica Turner, Ferrum
Breana Baker, Greensboro
Bobie Wilson, Huntingdon
Sterling Ancrum, LaGrange
Sarah Crumbly, Mary Baldwin
Lauren Bonee, Maryville
Jasmine Aguinaldo, Meredith
Maggie Harris, Methodist
Tori Blevins, N.C. Wesleyan
KATIE SPADAFORA, Piedmont
Meghan Luffman, William Peace
